Aaron Bruski

Basketball Daily Dose

Daily Dose: Curry Conundrum

Greivis Vasquez held his starting job last night, which may or may not be a sign of things to come, and scored 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting (including a three) with five assists, six turnovers, and a steal in 38 minutes. Jarrett Jack played 30 minutes and scored 16 points on a matching 5-of-11 shooting line with seven rebounds and three assists. There’s not much to say that I haven’t already, and if the two keep going like this it won’t really matter – they’ll both be worth owning. Marco Belinelli kept his foot on the gas with 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting, so we’ll forgive him for hitting just one three. He’s also worth owning while he’s hot if your format values 3-point shooting.

Chris Kaman continued to be a volume shooter, with 21 points on 10-of-25 attempts, adding 13 rebounds, three assists, a steal, and two blocks. He’s a sell-high guy with the chance he lands in a less-rosy situation after being traded. Trevor Ariza played just 20 minutes and missed all six of his field goal attempts, but he did grab six boards with three assists and two blocks. We’ll be on injury-alert over here, but after being ridden hard by Monty Williams it’s likely he just got some rest on the tail-end of a triple-set of games. Gustavo Ayon, who I told owners to hang onto in case he fared well last night, did me right by grabbing 17 rebounds to go with his nine points, four assists, two steals, and one block. Last night will go a long way toward securing minutes when Emeka Okafor (knee) returns after the All Star break. That said, Jason Smith (concussion) is said to be returning after the break, so Ayon will have his work cut out for him.

MAGIC TRICKS

Jameer Nelson kept things moving with 10 points and seven assists last night, and should be owned in 12-team formats right now. Hedo Turkoglu gave it go despite a viral infection, and put up a modest 10 points, three assists, and two rebounds, but owners would be wise not to put too much stock into this particular game. Half the league checked out early tonight and he was sick.

RIPPING THE NETS

MarShon Brooks scored a career-high 24 points with five rebounds, four treys, and two assists, and I have no idea why he was so available three weeks back. But he was, and I own him a bunch, so I guess I’m not complaining. Brook Lopez played 27 minutes and scored 15 points with four rebounds and two blocks, so in other words he’s right on track. Anthony Morrow continued to struggle, scoring just four points on 2-of-7 shooting, but I’m not giving up in 12-team, 8/9 cat formats. The break, along with the 3-point shooting competition, is coming at just the right time. Shawne Williams had foot surgery, ending his season before it ever began.

EYE TO EYE

Tristan Thompson finally showed some of that promise he’s been short on lately, scoring 10 points with 10 rebounds and a steal in just 16 minutes. He was removed because of his faulty foul shooting late, though, highlighting a problem he’ll have going forward. He’s a fine stash right now and could end up being a monster down the stretch. Semih Erden (eight minutes) was specifically called out for his lack of effort by Byron Scott last night, and here’s guessing that the two don’t see eye to eye. That’s enough to keep him on the waiver wire outside of deep formats. Daniel Gibson (1-of-9 FGs) struggled, as did Kyrie Irving (2-of-13 FGs, six points, 11 assists), and the Cavs looked like they flamed out after a tight win on Tuesday.

LIN-LASH

Jeremy Lin didn’t stop last night with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting, nine assists, two steals, and a three in 33 minutes before getting an early night’s rest, as the Knicks easily dispatched the Hawks. Carmelo Anthony scored 15 points on 7-of-16 shooting with four rebounds, three assists, two steals, a block, and a three in 27 minutes, and Amare Stoudemire scored seven points on 3-of-8 shooting with 10 rebounds and a block in just 24 minutes. With the All Star break and a game against the Heat looming, I’m backing off any hard analysis of this lightly contested game.

Steve Novak hit five 3-pointers for 17 points, and call me crazy, but I like his chances of being a viable 3-point shooter in 12-team leagues. J.R. Smith scored 12 points with five steals and a three, and we regrettably hyped him due to a miscommunication with one of our morning blurbers. For whatever it’s worth, I have not had any real faith in his ability to help 12-team owners and when Iman Shumpert returns, he’ll have precedence over J.R., who will be relied upon only when the Knicks can’t get offense elsewhere. And yes, Smith only landed in New York because Melo’s agent basically runs the Knicks.

NOAH’S ARC

Joakim Noah triple-doubled with 13 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, and a block last night, and I may back off some of the sell-high talk as Omer Asik has reportedly struggled as of late. As a general thread, though, when the Bulls return to full health I expect Noah and Carlos Boozer to return to their pattern of trading off big games. An improvement by Asik could also do the trick. Derrick Rose (back) said that he’s pain-free, which in the world of back injuries is great news. Owners can lower their guard for the most part.

JAZZ HANDS

Devin Harris is improving, and certainly looks more confident on the floor, as he scored 10 points with eight assists in 25 minutes last night. He’s still in a time-share with Earl Watson (23 minutes, two points, five assists), but he’s worth a look if you’re desperate at point guard. Gordon Hayward is a team-player, and too much so, putting up just seven points on 3-of-7 shooting with two rebounds, two assists, and three steals in 30 minutes. Josh Howard was the winner of the Raja Bell adductor absence, scoring a season-high 19 points with six rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a three in 32 minutes, but C.J. Miles did not join his party with just six points on 2-of-6 shooting in 18 minutes. With so many games I did not have time to go to the tape, but after watching each offensive possession from Tuesday it’s interesting to see the Jazz work out of their double-post offense. Al Jefferson (18 points, 8-of-20 FGs, 11 rebounds) and Paul Millsap (25 points, 10-of-17 FGs) are featured in nearly every set, with the rest of the offense stagnant as the two posts take a few too many shots. That will need to change for anybody else to have consistent value going forward, and Bell’s return will only complicate matters.

Wednesday night marked the last big slate of games before the All Star break, with just four games on the docket tonight. There are a couple of doozies, though, with Jeremy Lin taking Linsanity to South Beach and the Lakers going to Oklahoma City to wrap up the night. Last night’s action was a mix of players mailing it in, and some guys heading into pit row on nothing but fumes, but the Dose has a full tank of gas and is ready to go.

Perhaps the worst news of the night came for Stephen Curry’s owners, who added ‘plantar fasciitis’ to their list of concerns after a 10-minute performance last night. He is diagnosed with a strained tibialis posterior tendon in his right foot, which is Latin for ‘beer me,’ but the doctors aren’t sure if it’s PF or not. He’ll get until Tuesday to rest up and he’s out of the skills competition in all likelihood, and Nate Robinson and Brandon Rush will be guys to look at if bad news hits the wire.

Ekpe Udoh was a recommended pickup in 12-team leagues for those needing a big man, though I cautioned owners about his knee heading into last night’s game, which ended up becoming a problem after he knocked knees again. I’m not really sure how much that factored into his zero-point, four-rebound, and one-block effort in 22 minutes. Surely it isn’t a step in the right direction, but the focus should have been after the All Star break, with the hope that the position battle swings in his favor. Let’s downgrade him to risky, speculative add, rather than ‘recommended,’ especially since Mark Jackson looked more erratic with his rotation than he normally does. Andris Biedrins (flu) held his starting job, as many expected, and he was predictably bad with two points and three boards in 18 minutes.

The Warriors went up big on the Suns and then let them get back in the game as Jackson played David Lee at center for stretches, allowing Marcin Gortat and Channing Frye to have their way down low. Monta Ellis bailed him out, though, draining a tough last-second game-winner to finish with 26 points and six assists. If Curry’s injury is serious than he could be in for a big second half. Dorell Wright went off for 23 points on 7-of-11 shooting (including three triples) with seven rebounds and a block, and needs to be added if he was dropped. Interestingly but not surprisingly, he found himself on the bench late despite playing one his best games of the year, while Robinson (4-of-13 FGs, three treys, five assists, three steals) offset any benefits he brought with all the negatives he’s known for.

TENDON TALK PART II

Joe Johnson’s knee MRI came back clean, and what doctors were looking for there was a tear, slight or not, of the patella tendon. This confirms that the issue is simple tendinitis, which means that we’re not looking at a long-term absence on this go-around. Surely the situation could worsen, but the All Star break is a godsend for owners and it could easily be all he needs to get right. Producing at just a late-round value in 8- and 9-cat leagues over the past month, owners probably aren’t going to get much in return with knee concerns lingering, so the play is to hold.

Willie Green started for Johnson (patella tendon) last night and put up 16 points, four rebounds, four assists, a steal, and a three. He has been a pleasant surprise over the last week or so and is well worth a look as a spot-starter tonight. Jeff Teague continued to befuddle owners with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting (including two threes), but no assists to go with his three steals and one block. I’ve fielded more drop questions about him than I thought would be possible after his reasonably strong start to the year, and like Doc said blurbing last night I think he should be held through the break.

YOU SIR, ARE NO KOBE BRYANT

Drew Gooden revealed that he has a slightly torn ligament in his shooting wrist, and he compared the injury to Kobe’s wrist, but owners can listen to that professional diagnosis at their own risk. What I do believe, though, is that the stability of his wrist is not a big problem right now and that the tear is indeed minor. The issue, similarly to Eric Gordon and Deron Williams, is how he’s going to handle the daily pounding. If you own Gooden, this article is a must-read as it illustrates the trouble he has been having, which hasn’t exactly been a walk in the park. As I said yesterday, my take is a pragmatic one, if he can’t return to a full set of minutes after the All Star break I’m ready to walk, assuming he doesn’t blow it up in limited time.

Even with Gooden’s risks, I’m selling the Bucks frontcourt right now. Larry Sanders followed up his big night with a four-point, two-block yawner in just 21 minutes of action, and starter Jon Leuer scored 14 points with four boards, a steal, and a block. While we’re selling unreliable Bucks assets, the same goes for Mike Dunleavy (18 minutes, two points), who is neither guaranteed playing time nor guaranteed to do anything with it if he gets it. Carlos Delfino (38 minutes, seven points, 3-of-12 FGs, otherwise normal line) is worth owning while he’s getting burn, but if you’re counting on that to be a long-term thing you’re being optimistic. Stephen Jackson was ruled out for last night’s game due to a hamstring injury, which is code for ‘fight with coach.’

PANIC AT THE DISCO

As I settled into my seat for last night’s games, I opened my email to enough Isaiah Thomas panic to send me into a frenzy. I scurried to turn on the Kings/Wizards game and he had grabbed two quick fouls, and in moments he had the ball literally taken out of his hands while he wasn’t looking. Ugly. I had some business to attend to, and returned to see that he blew up again for 18 points, six assists, and a steal on 9-of-19 shooting. He and Marcus Thornton (22 points, full stat line) brought the Kings back after assistant Bobby Jackson said at halftime that the team had checked out for All Star weekend, in what was a candidate for ugliest game of the year.

Tyreke Evans’ early fourth foul was crucial here for both guys, as it gave them the ramp to get going. Ultimately, Evans (22 points, 8-of-10 FGs, full line) and DeMarcus Cousins (16 points, 16 rebounds, 6-of-20 FGs, multiple missed tip-ins) both stayed on the bench down the stretch. They said after the game that Thomas, Thornton, and Chuck Hayes (21 minutes, 6-2-3 line, two steals) deserved to take the Kings to the finish. Normally this would be cause for concern, but the Kings are actually gelling and playing for one another. Thornton couldn’t stop gushing about Thomas after the game, and even when Thomas was struggling Keith Smart was seen laughing and smiling with him. It’s a pretty amazing story for the No. 60 pick, and it looks like the Kings have found a keeper. My guess is that Thomas will disappear a few times with all the ball-handling scorers around him, but barring a face-plant it looks like owners got a steal.

IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE?

John Wall nearly missed a triple-double last night with 21 points, nine boards, 11 assists, three steals, and two blocks, and is offering first- and fourth-round value in 8- and 9-cat leagues, respectively. Congratulations if you bought low after a bumpy start, though I don’t blame you if the Wizards’ awful attitudes have you on edge. Nick Young’s (6-of-23 FGs, 17 points, four threes) shot selection barely qualifies as news in the nation’s capitol. Jordan Crawford’s shot selection is twice as bad, as the duo feeds the ego-driven nonsense with each ill-advised shot. Crawford posted 32 points on 12-of-19 shooting with three triples, two rebounds, four assists, and one steal last night, and is a strong-add in 8-cat leagues, but in nine-cat leagues he barely has late-round value over the last two weeks (including last night’s big effort). When head-case Andray Blatche returns, though, there’s little chance that Crawford can stay consistent without an injury to one of the team’s Foolish Five.

None of them compare to the fifth member of the boy band, JaVale McGee, who added yet another submission to the Darwin Awards last night. Yes, the talent and production are there, and in fantasy leagues he’s a must-start player with everything an owner wants. But, hot damn, he took a shot attempt that had been gliding down toward the hoop for at least a full second and spiked it seven rows deep, in a close game, to the bewilderment of all. Randy Whitman, who I pray for every night, understandably yelled at McGee, who could have cared less about the score. McGee then openly disrespected him, ignoring Whitman the entire time, and finally took a seat on the bench.

The only solace that Wizards fans can take is that somewhere out there, Doctor J has a big fat smile on his face.

BANG THE DRUM

Bismack Biyombo opened owners’ eyes with nine points, 10 boards, and six blocks in 33 minutes last night, and I feel kind of stupid for the 2-3 week period earlier in the year that I wasn’t banging the drum. I have him stashed in about half of my leagues and when I’m done writing I’m going to make sure he’s not available in 8- and 9-cat formats. The Bobcats are awful, he’s a specimen, and the frontcourt has nobody for him to truly contend with. The roller coaster ride will slowly trend up as the year goes on.

D.J. Augustin (15 points, 4-of-12 FGs, three treys, three assists, 31 minutes) took over starting duties for Kemba Walker (14 points, 4-of-11 FGs, two treys, five assists, two steals, 29 minutes), and both should be owned in all 12-team formats. Walker is undoubtedly going to take a hit coming off the bench, and also when Gerald Henderson (hamstring) returns in the near-future. But, as I mentioned a few weeks back, this upcoming 2-3 week period of instability will be followed up by an unfettered run of minutes down the stretch, particularly in fantasy crunch time. Drop him if you must when he slows down, but you do so at your own risk.

BAGELS AND JUICE

Rodney Stuckey nearly bageled the box score in 18 minutes, and Ben Gordon scored just six points in 18 minutes, in what appeared to be an early night off in advance of the break. I have yet to learn who was the brainchild of that, and if it was a Lawrence Frank-sanctioned activity. Either way, it’s not a big deal as both are expected to resume their roles after the break. Greg Monroe kept owners on the juice, scoring a season-high 30 points with 14 rebounds, a steal, and two blocks.

NO COMMENT

James Harden (ankle) returned from his one-game absence and got right back on track with 17 points, four rebounds, and seven assists, and teammates Kevin Durant (28-9-6 line) and Russell Westbrook (31-5-6) were their normal dynamic selves. Of course, nothing comes easy for Serge Ibaka’s owners, as the Celtics sported a small lineup featuring Paul Pierce at power forward. And since Kendrick Perkins had a good game in his last contest, in addition to a date with his former mates, there was no way Sam Presti and Scott Brooks were going to sit him for this one. And while Ibaka is more than capable of covering Pierce, Brooks decided not to exploit the small lineup. It’s hard to argue with his decision since the Thunder won, but a win over the Celtics with their entire frontcourt busted up isn’t anything to write home about.

There were some nice lines in this laugher of a game, as Ray Allen had 21 points, seven assists, and three triples, Avery Bradley pitched in with 12 points, five assists, and a nice dunk on KD, Kevin Garnett (personal) started at center and scored 23 points with 13 rebounds and a full line, Mickael Pietrus had 16 points, seven boards, two threes, and a block, and Paul Pierce put up 23 points, five rebounds, eight assists, and a 12-of-16 mark from the foul line. On the other side, Perkins was serviceable with eight points, 10 boards, and a block, and Daequan Cook scored 17 points with five rebounds and three triples. Nick Collison (quad) did not play, further angering Ibaka owners, who sad to say will likely deal with this crap all year. The Oklahoman had no comment on Ibaka’s lack of minutes, either, highlighting how comfortable they are with Brooks sitting one of the league’s best defensive players.

TODAY IN TORONTO

Jose Calderon (six points, eight boards, 15 assists) owners are on red-alert notice, though opinions vary around here, but my preference is to move the potential trade candidate before he gets sent to an uncertain situation. Then there’s the Jerryd Bayless issue. Bayless (ankle) returned to action and came off the bench for 21 minutes, scoring seven points on 2-of-6 shooting (including a three) with two rebounds, four assists, and a block. He’s a better defender than Calderon by leaps and bounds, and while some have tried to stick up for Calderon, all the tape I’ve seen shows a guy who looks like he’s on stilts. Bayless isn’t the pure point guard that Calderon is, and the margin is significant, but he’s not a slouch, either. Calderon is playing well offensively and is the glue that keeps this team together right now, particularly with Bayless’ ankle still iffy, but if I had to bet money I’d bet that Bayless would win the job outright by the end of the year.

James Johnson played over 40 minutes last night and was recently pumped up by Dwane Casey, who said he’s almost a “core player,” and with the minutes and his 15 points, three rebounds, one steal, and three blocks he shouldn’t be available in any 8- or 9-cat, 12-team formats. His upside is tremendous. Amir Johnson scored 11 points with four rebounds and two blocks in 25 minutes, and he has been posting mid-round value over the past two weeks on the strength of 8.2 points, 7.3 boards, 0.5 steals, 1.8 blocks, and near-70 percent shooting from the field. Any owner with a need for a big man should have rostered him by this point, despite the bumpy start. It’s possible he learned whatever lesson Casey was teaching.

MUCHO GUSTAVO

Greivis Vasquez held his starting job last night, which may or may not be a sign of things to come, and scored 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting (including a three) with five assists, six turnovers, and a steal in 38 minutes. Jarrett Jack played 30 minutes and scored 16 points on a matching 5-of-11 shooting line with seven rebounds and three assists. There’s not much to say that I haven’t already, and if the two keep going like this it won’t really matter – they’ll both be worth owning. Marco Belinelli kept his foot on the gas with 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting, so we’ll forgive him for hitting just one three. He’s also worth owning while he’s hot if your format values 3-point shooting.

Chris Kaman continued to be a volume shooter, with 21 points on 10-of-25 attempts, adding 13 rebounds, three assists, a steal, and two blocks. He’s a sell-high guy with the chance he lands in a less-rosy situation after being traded. Trevor Ariza played just 20 minutes and missed all six of his field goal attempts, but he did grab six boards with three assists and two blocks. We’ll be on injury-alert over here, but after being ridden hard by Monty Williams it’s likely he just got some rest on the tail-end of a triple-set of games. Gustavo Ayon, who I told owners to hang onto in case he fared well last night, did me right by grabbing 17 rebounds to go with his nine points, four assists, two steals, and one block. Last night will go a long way toward securing minutes when Emeka Okafor (knee) returns after the All Star break. That said, Jason Smith (concussion) is said to be returning after the break, so Ayon will have his work cut out for him.

MAGIC TRICKS

Jameer Nelson kept things moving with 10 points and seven assists last night, and should be owned in 12-team formats right now. Hedo Turkoglu gave it go despite a viral infection, and put up a modest 10 points, three assists, and two rebounds, but owners would be wise not to put too much stock into this particular game. Half the league checked out early tonight and he was sick.

RIPPING THE NETS

MarShon Brooks scored a career-high 24 points with five rebounds, four treys, and two assists, and I have no idea why he was so available three weeks back. But he was, and I own him a bunch, so I guess I’m not complaining. Brook Lopez played 27 minutes and scored 15 points with four rebounds and two blocks, so in other words he’s right on track. Anthony Morrow continued to struggle, scoring just four points on 2-of-7 shooting, but I’m not giving up in 12-team, 8/9 cat formats. The break, along with the 3-point shooting competition, is coming at just the right time. Shawne Williams had foot surgery, ending his season before it ever began.

EYE TO EYE

Tristan Thompson finally showed some of that promise he’s been short on lately, scoring 10 points with 10 rebounds and a steal in just 16 minutes. He was removed because of his faulty foul shooting late, though, highlighting a problem he’ll have going forward. He’s a fine stash right now and could end up being a monster down the stretch. Semih Erden (eight minutes) was specifically called out for his lack of effort by Byron Scott last night, and here’s guessing that the two don’t see eye to eye. That’s enough to keep him on the waiver wire outside of deep formats. Daniel Gibson (1-of-9 FGs) struggled, as did Kyrie Irving (2-of-13 FGs, six points, 11 assists), and the Cavs looked like they flamed out after a tight win on Tuesday.

LIN-LASH

Jeremy Lin didn’t stop last night with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting, nine assists, two steals, and a three in 33 minutes before getting an early night’s rest, as the Knicks easily dispatched the Hawks. Carmelo Anthony scored 15 points on 7-of-16 shooting with four rebounds, three assists, two steals, a block, and a three in 27 minutes, and Amare Stoudemire scored seven points on 3-of-8 shooting with 10 rebounds and a block in just 24 minutes. With the All Star break and a game against the Heat looming, I’m backing off any hard analysis of this lightly contested game.

Steve Novak hit five 3-pointers for 17 points, and call me crazy, but I like his chances of being a viable 3-point shooter in 12-team leagues. J.R. Smith scored 12 points with five steals and a three, and we regrettably hyped him due to a miscommunication with one of our morning blurbers. For whatever it’s worth, I have not had any real faith in his ability to help 12-team owners and when Iman Shumpert returns, he’ll have precedence over J.R., who will be relied upon only when the Knicks can’t get offense elsewhere. And yes, Smith only landed in New York because Melo’s agent basically runs the Knicks.

NOAH’S ARC

Joakim Noah triple-doubled with 13 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, and a block last night, and I may back off some of the sell-high talk as Omer Asik has reportedly struggled as of late. As a general thread, though, when the Bulls return to full health I expect Noah and Carlos Boozer to return to their pattern of trading off big games. An improvement by Asik could also do the trick. Derrick Rose (back) said that he’s pain-free, which in the world of back injuries is great news. Owners can lower their guard for the most part.

JAZZ HANDS

Devin Harris is improving, and certainly looks more confident on the floor, as he scored 10 points with eight assists in 25 minutes last night. He’s still in a time-share with Earl Watson (23 minutes, two points, five assists), but he’s worth a look if you’re desperate at point guard. Gordon Hayward is a team-player, and too much so, putting up just seven points on 3-of-7 shooting with two rebounds, two assists, and three steals in 30 minutes. Josh Howard was the winner of the Raja Bell adductor absence, scoring a season-high 19 points with six rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a three in 32 minutes, but C.J. Miles did not join his party with just six points on 2-of-6 shooting in 18 minutes. With so many games I did not have time to go to the tape, but after watching each offensive possession from Tuesday it’s interesting to see the Jazz work out of their double-post offense. Al Jefferson (18 points, 8-of-20 FGs, 11 rebounds) and Paul Millsap (25 points, 10-of-17 FGs) are featured in nearly every set, with the rest of the offense stagnant as the two posts take a few too many shots. That will need to change for anybody else to have consistent value going forward, and Bell’s return will only complicate matters.

LUKE, THE FATHER

Luke Ridnour (17 points, six assists) hit the game-winning shot on one of his trademark floaters, and the emotion from his teammates was telling. He has dealt with personal issues involving his newborn for a while now, so it was nice to see him hit that shot. He’s also worth a pickup while he’s posting usable numbers, but realize that J.J. Barea (22 points, four rebounds, four assists, five threes) could start cutting into his value at any time. Barea is not worth an add in a crowded guard situation coming off the bench.

Talk about a swing and miss – I said that Michael Beasley would be worth a look as a spot play if Nikola Pekovic (ankle) was out, and though Pekovic played, the eight minutes Beasley logged was an ugly reminder of how far he has fallen. Pekovic, a/k/a “Icepick,” and also known as the Balkan Bulldozer, Brontosaurus Pex, Pektacular, and my addition to the nomenclature, “The Hitman” -- he scored 15 points on just 3-of-11 field goals (9-of-10 FTs) with 12 rebounds on his somewhat gimpy ankle. Mark my words, he may be the most consistent fantasy asset in the league from night-to-night, and thanks to all the readers who submitted nicknames. We’ll do our best to make one famous.

CAN’T DO MUCH WORSE

Jrue Holiday struggled last night and was benched after an ugly foul, finishing with six points on 3-of-9 shooting, two assists, a steal, and a block in 22 minutes. This was the perfect chance for Doug Collins to send him a message before the break, and it also creates a perfect opportunity to buy him low. Owners can go into a transaction not with the preseason expectations in mind, but with knowledge that he’s currently living in the ‘can’t do much worse’ phase of his season. He’s not getting replaced, and we don’t think he lost his skill overnight. This is all about targeting a fed up owner.

The fantasy story of the night for Philly was Nikola Vucevic, though, as he posted 18 points with eight rebounds, a steal, and three blocks in 28 minutes off the bench. Readers will know that I’ve been itching to add him, knowing it was too early to do so, but he entered speculative add territory for 12-team owners seeking big men with the result. I expect the inconsistency to continue, and this is a situation where at some point the light switch is going to go on for both Vucevic and Collins and he’ll be off and running. If Spencer Hawes does not return after the All Star break, it’s time to assume that his back and body are all jacked up, which will help clear matters up.

GET WITH THE PROGRAM

Kyle Lowry sprained his right ankle but stayed in the game last night, finishing with 13 points on 5-of-11 shooting, eight rebounds, five assists, and a block. The timing couldn’t be better with the break, obviously. Kevin Martin put up a nice and stable 16 points on 5-of-12 shooting with two threes in 36 minutes, but this article by Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle highlights the resolve Kevin McHale has to play anybody at any time. And again the Rockets won, so it’s hard to argue against what he is doing. In the piece McHale indicated that he wasn’t happy with his team earlier in the year, but that things are getting better, which could be veiled references to any of the Rockets that have frustrated owners, including Martin.

In that same boat, Samuel Dalembert saw an increased 28 minutes, but was quiet with five points, eight boards, one steal, and one block. Baby steps. I’m still holding, which I’m not going to tell anybody else to do because there is definitely risk there, but I’ll add that these things tend to work themselves out over time. Sammy is either going to get with the program or fall off a cliff, but the upside is certainly there if he gets it right. Feel free to laugh at me if it blows up in my face.

SUN RISING

Don’t look now but Channing Frye has built his value back up, with seventh round value in 9-cat leagues and ninth-round value in 8-cat leagues on the year. Of course, that means that he has had fourth and sixth round value over the last month, and first and second round value over the past two weeks (9-cat/8-cat). He kept the good times rolling last night with 22 points on 10-of-23 shooting (including two threes), nine rebounds, three steals, and a block. Can he keep up the early round value? I wouldn’t bet on it given his past instability, but he has the situation and fantasy friendly game to have a shot at it. Regardless, those that stuck with him (yours truly) are very happy. Remember that when he invariably slips back into a funk.

Jared Dudley didn’t hit a three but scored 17 points with five boards and three assists to enter the break right, while Grant Hill continued to post serviceable fantasy numbers with 16 points, six assists, three boards, a steal, and a block. Hill has age and injury risks, but he’s getting it done right now. Markieff Morris (two points, four boards) had a nice dunk last night, but played just under 10 minutes and is back to the wire for those brave souls that added him after a few nice games last week.

LEVERAGE

In some early morning news Sam Amick reported that the Nuggets want a long-term deal out of Wilson Chandler, which makes sense because the market for his services is soft right now. Amick added that Chandler’s agent said he might just sit out the year and return as a restricted free agent next season, when a full complement of teams could bid on his services. I don’t know what happened with his agent allowing Denver to feel like they were the only game in town, but the visit to Toronto and the recent media Chandler’s camp has done is definitely a leverage play. George Karl is probably begging GM Masai Ujiri to get him in the door, and we know that Chandler wants to play for the Nuggets, but money talks and the two sides have to bridge the gap. My gut tells me they will, and with the All Star break giving owners time to wait-and-see, I’m holding Chandler barring a negative report.

Despite this wrinkle, I don’t think this changes the sell-high status of Arron Afflalo (20 points, 7-of-10 FGs, two threes, six boards, three assists), Andre Miller (eight points, eight assists, 3-of-15 FGs), or Al Harrington (11 points, 3-of-13 FGs, no threes, six rebounds, five assists, two steals). If anything, the ambiguity of the upcoming week could help owners’ causes.

Ty Lawson (ankle) was held out last night and we’ll learn more about his injury over the break, while Rudy Fernandez (back) and Nene (calf) were held out, as well. We did not hear anything new about Nene’s situation, after Karl said he won’t play until after the break and that he might not be at full strength all year. Owners just have to wait-and-see and hope the break helps him out.

OH ME OH MY

Blake Griffin dunked from the jump-ball circle inside the key last night (must watch), and as far as we know Clips play-by-play man Ralph Lawler still has eyes for his wife. Griffin scored 27 points with 12 boards and five assists, but the blocks and free throw shooting improvement has come to a halt. Maybe the team should actually keep Chauncey Billups around as his personal freebies coach, and I’m not kidding about that. Chris Paul scored a season-high 36 points on 11-of-16 shooting (3-of-7 from deep, 11-of-12 from the line) with nine assists and two steals, and if his knee is hurting him he’s having too much fun to let anybody know. I moved him to No. 3 on my preseason draft board after he was traded to the Clips, so I pretty much threw caution to the wind on the knee issue, and I hope he continues to prove me wrong about it. For those catching up, I feared he would have issues with it this year but predicted we would see them next year. DeAndre Jordan scored 10 points with 16 boards and three blocks to calm owners down heading into the break, though he got a small boost from Kenyon Martin’s early exit due to his sore ribs and back. Caron Butler continued his cold streak with six points, five boards, and two assists in 33 minutes, and hopefully the break gets him back on track. Mo Williams hit just 2-of-16 shots for six points, four boards, two assists, two steals, and a block, and owners just need to chalk it up to a bad night. Randy Foye (11 points, 3-of-11 FGs, 3-of-8 3PTs, four rebounds, three assists) hasn’t been great with value just outside of the money in 12-team leagues. I’m holding on because he’s statistically obligated to improve his 33 percent shooting over the last two weeks.

Aaron Bruski has covered hoops for Rotoworld since 2008 and has competed in national fantasy sports competitions for nearly two decades. In 2015 he was named FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year. You can also find his work over at ProBasketballTalk, where he received critical acclaim for his in-depth reporting of the Kings' relocation saga. Hit him on Twitter at Aaronbruski.Email :Aaron Bruski